Abrahima Konte, 21, of Malvern Road, Handsworth, and Mwepu
Wa-Kakuna, 39, of Hilden Road, Nechells, were convicted of the same
charge.

Judge Howard Morrison issued a warrant for the arrest of Konte, who
had failed to turn up for his trial, and adjourned sentence on Wa-Kakuna
for a report on him.

Two other men, Khaussy Thoto, 37, also of Malvern Road, and Simon
Kouama-Boni, 33, of Charles Road, Bordesley Green, were acquitted of
being part of the fraud.

The judge said: "It is plain this was not a small-scale
enterprise. Neither was it extremely large."

John Butterfield, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said the
scam was known as a 'black money' fraud and involved
presenting the victim with a black piece of paper which, when dipped
into some liquid, would turn into a pounds 10 note "as if by
magic".

The victim would then be persuaded to hand over cash for a suitcase
full of black pieces of paper which turned out to be worthless.

The scam, he said, came to light when police stopped a BMW being
driven by Tsafack, suspecting it was stolen.

This led to Tsafack's home and a house shared by other
defendants being searched, where police found incriminating evidence.

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